


Brewing Regret

by hannelore



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Marauders' Era, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-06
Updated: 2003-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-28 15:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/309224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannelore/pseuds/hannelore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Severus puts James Potter in the hospital wing, Frank approaches Severus again because he either likes humiliation or just can't get his mind off of him. Severus has something for Frank and it's not at all what he wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brewing Regret

Frank steered Alice away from James and Lily, pretended they had to get to class. He saw his Alice's face start to harden into that no-nonsense look that reminded him of his Mum. Once Sirius and Lily were out of earshot, Alice snorted.

"She's more worried about whether he'd vomit on her new dress!" Alice said. "'What if he isn't well by the Yule Ball?'" Frank attempted to not laugh as her face got redder and redder. A furious teapot.

"I'm sure she cares about James beyond that," Frank offered. Alice snorted again. "You keep snorting like that and you'll turn into a bull."

" _You_ haven't asked me to the Yule Ball, you know."

"Thought you said you'd rather be broiled in oil," Frank added. They were about to pass the Potions classroom and he caught a glimpse of Severus. His heart made an embarrassed dive into his boots.

"Nah, I was waiting to see if someone better would ask me out first," Alice teased. Frank pretended to look hurt.

"Then you'll have to have me," Frank said. "Can't promise I won't get pissed and throw up on you, though."

"I'll wear my finest burlap, then."

"Say, I forgot something in Potions," Frank said. "Can you cover for me in Charms? I'll be right along."

Alice nodded and continued down the corridor. Frank walked back to the classroom and peered in from behind the door. From what he could see, Severus was alone. Frank hadn't seen him anywhere except class since they'd met for potions homework. Since then, Severus had made every excuse not to meet up with him. Weeks later, the professor told Frank he'd been paired with Lily.

Frank swallowed in an attempt to rid himself of the dry taste in his mouth. He pushed open the door. Severus didn't look up, he stirred the cauldron on the table top and watched the mixture.

"I saw what you did to James Potter."

Severus flinched in surprise. Frank noticed the boy seemed to shrink in size, his shoulders hunched as if to betray his height.

"Doesn't anyone knock?" Severus took a pinch out of a jar, rubbing the powder between his yellowed fingertips as he continued to stir. "And it wasn't me, it was MacNair."

"But --"

"I made the potion," Severus added. "I gave it to him. But it was MacNair who told me to do it."

Frank snorted.

"That certainly seems to point to you anyway," he said. "You should see him, he's --"

"Oh, I've seem him," Severus said. He had set to chopping up some sort of roots that oozed a terrible stinking smell. "I'm always interested in the results."

"Well, you'd best be careful, Sirius is really angry and he --"

Severus laughed, a delicious tenor peal that rustled Frank's stomach butterflies.

"Black's threats are about as useful as --"

Severus trailed off and for a moment Frank wondered if he was afraid of Sirius, but he noticed the boy looked more thoughtful than worried.

"You scared of him?"

"Hardly," Severus scoffed. "I was going to say 'as useful as dirt,' but even dirt's more useful. Anyway, I have something for you."

Frank's stomach butterflies had turned into a riot of bees. He felt the dampness of nervous sweat in his armpits.

"D-do you?"

Severus reached into his bookbag and took out a small corked bottle. He held it out to Frank. Severus' voice was quieter.

"It's to put a damper in those emotions of yours with regards to me," Severus said. He straightened up from his over-the-cauldron hunch, but he stood stiff, not directly meeting Frank's look.

Frank put his hand in Severus' as if to take the bottle, but instead of taking the bottle, he slid his hand under Severus' hand. Severus' fingers clutched the bottle and he pulled away.

"That hurts me more than anything you did to James," Frank whispered. Severus looked at him, the greasy strands of hair falling in Severus' face. He pulled his lips back in a disdainful sneer.

"Longbottom, you're the biggest idiot that's walked the face of this world."

Severus hadn't pulled his hand away completely. He looked angry.

"Face it, you just can't deal with the fact that I fancy you," Frank said.

Severus pushed the bottle into Frank's hand.

"Take the bloody potion," he growled.

"You'll have to force it down my throat before I'll do that."

Frank looked at the furious face that Severus bore. The faltering thought in his head was not that Severus didn't fancy him in return, but that maybe the Severus hated him.

Severus grabbed Frank's short hair in one fist, pushing him back against the table.

"Fine," Severus said. He wrenched the bottle's cork out with his teeth, yanking Frank's head back. Frank yelped at the pain of the tug against his scalp. Yet when his head was wrenched back, a tear rolled across his cheekbone and into his ear. Severus' spit out the cork and was bringing the bottle's lip to Frank's lips when he saw that tear. Frank felt the cool glass touch as they looked at each other.

Severus pulled the bottle away and kissed Frank. It was a hesitant "Goodnight, Mum" kind of kiss, but it stunned Frank speechless as he looked up at Severus.

"Why'd you --"

Severus seemed to want him to stay speechless as he kissed him again. The kisses were like bashful fumbling, Frank could feel the hand in his hair tighten and he groaned. Frank closed his eyes, he tried to steady his hands against the table. Everything felt like it was falling away until he felt the cold glass on his lips again. This time he struggled, shoving hard at Severus.

"You bastard!" Frank cried. Tricked, he tricked me, that bastard. He felt something wet against his lips in the tussle and spat hard. Severus shoved Frank away from him, the bottle still in hand.

"I thought you meant it!" Frank said as he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. He felt the hot tears prick his eyes, shame and hurt.

"You don't understand at all," Severus said, angry. "You can't do this to me!"

"Do this to you?" Frank said. "You selfish prick, what do you think it's doing to me?"

"Then drink the damn potion!"

Frank spat on the ground again. He tasted something like clove. Had he swallowed some?

"No," Frank said. "I'd rather have my feelings unrequited than forgotten. They're mine."

Frank turned and started to walk away. Frank knew he hadn't swallowed any of the potion. Even though he was shaking with hurt and bitterness, the feelings were still there. All of them. Worse than that, he felt more than just the aftertaste of the glass on his lips.

"Longbottom."

"Yes, yes, I know the drill. Tell anyone and you'll kill me."

"Not that."

Frank stopped at the door. He didn't dare look at Severus.

"I'm sorry."

Frank slammed the door behind him.


End file.
